


Seeing the Forest for the Trees

by CosmicCrossing



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: And handles it WAY better, Ash also helps Clemont through his own issues, Ash is rightfully upset and Clemont helps him through his issues, Canon Rewrite, Clemont is gaaaaay and everybody knows it (maybe even Ash), Comfort, Crushes, Fix-It, Fluff, I rewrote this entire episode because I was bitter, In which Clemont is the one to go talk to Ash instead of Serena, M/M, Pining, diodeshipping, episode rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:35:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22667092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosmicCrossing/pseuds/CosmicCrossing
Summary: “Ash...what’s going on with you?” Clemont asks, quietly. “If something’s bothering you, you can talk to me. I’ll listen, you—you know I will.” His voice cracks a bit and he clears his throat, flustered."You wouldn't get it," Ash mumbles, refusing to meet his eyes."Oh, really?" Clemont snorts, all trace of any previous embarrassment gone. "You think I haven't been in your shoes before? That I've never had my fair share of consistent losses? I'm a Gym Leader, Ash, it comes with the territory."(Or: In which Clemont is the one to go talk to Ash after his loss at the Snowbelle Gym, and it goes much more smoothly.)
Relationships: Citron | Clemont & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Citron | Clemont/Satoshi | Ash Ketchum
Comments: 13
Kudos: 261





	Seeing the Forest for the Trees

**Author's Note:**

> Hey-yooo!! Good to be back writing DIode stuff again haha. And this is my first fic of the year...a good way to start it out, I think!
> 
> A few months back when I was rewatching XY I was literally steaming after this episode LMAO so in a furious haste I decided to rewrite that entire confrontational scene with Clemont being the one to go to talk to Ash instead of Serena.
> 
> I really don't like how Serena handled that situation--throwing snowballs at your friend's head and getting angry at him really did not make things any better, especially when she yelled at Ash for not being "the real Ash". Like? Girl? He's allowed to be upset and sad that he lost and has been on a losing streak for a while. He's not going to always act like your perfect boyfriend material uwu he's got flaws too! Let him stew in his anger for a bit and then be supportive, not scream at him and make things worse lmao. Like I love Serena with all my heart but this definitely wasn't one of her best moments in the series :')
> 
> So anyway I wrote this because I was bitter and I think Clemont would have handled it WAY better. He definitely wouldn't have gotten angry and cross with Ash for snapping at him either lmao;; consider this a fix it fic :'D
> 
> I probably originally had way more stuff to say about it but this took me months to finish (mostly bc of laziness and I forgot about it for a brief time, too) so I'm just gonna leave it here and let you read! Enjoy kiddies!

The Pokemon Center is eerily quiet this morning.

Maybe it’s just the fact that they’re out in the forest, with dense trees and thick snow to muffle any sort of noise from the city nearby. A serene sort of silence hangs in the air, broken only by the breeze and the crunch of snow as it falls off the trees in clumps.

Or maybe it’s because there’s a distinctive lack of boisterous trainer among their ranks.

Ash’s absence is like a gaping hole, clawing into Clemont’s side and resting in his heart. The times they’ve been apart since the blonde met him that fateful day in Lumiose are few and far between—wherever Ash goes, Clemont is never too far behind. He finds himself drawn to the other trainer like gravity, pulled into orbit by his reach. It’s impossible not to be attracted to Ash, with his endless determination, bountiful courage, and unlimited selflessness. If Clemont had to compare him to anything, he’d equate Ash to a star—brilliant, bright, and shining eternally in the sky, no matter what the time of day.

If Clemont had to count all of Ash’s losses over the course of their journey together on both hands, he’s sure he wouldn’t make it past ten digits. Ash’s skill as a trainer is nearly unmatched, even by all the Gym Leaders he’s battled against, including Clemont himself. He has an innate knack for battling that not a lot of people have, something that’s raw and passionate and all leads back to Ash’s incredible instincts. He’s confident yet humble, always learns from his losses, and trains hard to improve on his mistakes. 

However, Ash has been on a pretty bad losing streak as of late, and his battle with Wulfric had been rough to witness. He’d gone into it with complete confidence, only to have it shattered like ice on the battlefield, falling to Wulfric’s indomitable wit and defense. Clemont doesn’t blame him for being upset about his loss, and he doesn’t blame Ash for wanting some time to himself to think and recover from the blow. But Ash has been gone for a while, probably since the early hours of the morning, same as Greninja—and Clemont is worried. He knows what it feels like to be beaten over and over again until you no longer have any strength left to try. It’s alright for Ash to stew in his defeat, but not for too long, otherwise he might not be able to recuperate enough to want to battle again.

The morning is beautiful and quiet, with the sun beating down upon the trees and the snow. The air is frigid, and Clemont breathes it in until his lungs protest from the bitterness. He’s warm in his padded coat and hat as he paces the front porch of Pokemon Center. The wood creaks beneath his feet. Nearby, Bonnie is rolling a snowball together with Dedenne and Pikachu. Serena sits in a chair off to the side, in deep thought. She seems to be as equally concerned about Ash as Clemont is.

The blonde looks up at the sky and frowns, his eyebrows drawing together. Clouds are rolling in at the edge of the horizon, dark and angry. The weather might be gorgeous and mild right now, but not for long. A storm is coming, and Clemont can tell it’s going to be a big one.

He can’t sit and wait for Ash to come back on his own. He needs to go find him—for Ash’s sake, and for the sake of his own concern.

He stops pacing the deck, looking out into the woods.

Serena notices him stop, for she blinks and gazes at him curiously.

“Clemont?”

Clemont squares his shoulders and says, firmly, “I’m going after Ash.”

Serena immediately rises to her feet, looking determined.

“I’ll come with you!” She says, almost too eagerly.

“No, it’s okay!” He responds, waving a hand at her. “I’ll go by myself. I need someone to stay here and look after Bonnie. It looks like a storm is going to roll in...I’ll just go fetch him and come right back!”

Serena’s face falls at that, disappointment sparking in her eyes, but she quickly shakes it off.

“Okay, if you’re sure...”

The Gym Leader smiles at her. “Don’t worry about it! I’ll be quick.”

The girl relaxes at this, the tenseness sliding from her frame like the snow on the trees.

“Alright,” she finally agrees with a soft nod. “Be careful, Clemont. And make sure you bring Ash back for us!”

“I will!” He affirms with a departing wave.

Heading down the steps, he almost runs straight into Bonnie, who has constructed half of a snowman.

“Clemont, where are you going?” She asks, crossing her arms. She’s got that intimidating little sister look on her face, and the older sibling almost laughs.

“I’m going to find Ash,” he tells her, and holds up a hand before she can even utter a syllable. “And no, you can’t come. I need you to stay here with Serena and wait for us. There’s a storm coming, and I want you to be safe. You too, Pikachu,” he adds, knowing that the electric mouse was probably planning to tag along to find his trainer as well.

Pikachu slumps in defeat, his ears folding back. “Pika...”

“Aww, fine,” Bonnie pouts, kicking up a bit of snow. It scatters in the wind. “But you’d better come back quick, you hear? Ash promised me he’d help me make the biggest snowman ever, and I’m holding him to it!”

Clemont chuckles. “Okay, okay. I’ll make sure to tell him.” He leans down and kisses her forehead. “Be safe, Bonnie. Don’t stay outside for too long. I’ll be back soon. Pikachu, look after her!”

“Pika!” Pikachu gives him a little salute and then Clemont's off, feet sinking into the snow and the wind in his hair.

* * *

It’s either extreme luck or just a happy coincidence that Clemont manages to find Ash so quickly. He’s not sure how he knew where the dark-haired teen ended up—he just followed his gut instinct, and it led him right to him. 

Ash is in a sorry state, alright. Head bowed and eyes narrowed into a thoughtful glare, he stares at the ground with his hands folded in front of his chin, his elbows resting on his knees. He looks frustrated—but Clemont’s too relieved to see that he’s alright to really bother with being subtle.

“Ash! There you are,” he calls out, panting. He’s never been one for physical exercise, and running all around the woods in the snow hasn’t done wonders for his stamina.

Ash raises his head and blinks, surprise on his face. “Clemont? What are you doing here?”

Clemont crosses the clearing in a few short strides, struggling to get his breathing back to normal. 

“I came looking for you, of course!” He huffs. “Do you know how worried I— _we’ve_ all been? You just up and disappeared last night without a word...” His cheeks flush a bit at his mistake, hoping Ash doesn’t notice.

Thankfully, he doesn’t. Instead, he looks away guiltily. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have just left you like that...”

Clemont frowns worriedly as he finally reaches his side. Silence hangs in the air for a few moments, and then the blonde sits down beside him on the snow-covered log. Ash doesn’t even flinch.

“It’s okay,” Clemont murmurs. He gazes at the other teen, his stomach clenching. 

“Ash...what’s going on with you?” He asks, quietly. “If something’s bothering you, you can talk to me. I’ll listen, you—you know I will.” His voice cracks a bit and he clears his throat, flustered.

"You wouldn't get it," Ash mumbles, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Oh, really?" Clemont snorts, all trace of any previous embarrassment gone. "You think I haven't been in your shoes before? That I've never had my fair share of consistent losses? I'm a Gym Leader, Ash, it comes with the territory."

That seems to catch Ash's attention, for he peers up from underneath the brim of his cap to gaze at him curiously.

"You're in a funk," Clemont tells him plainly, before turning to stare out into the forest. Sunlight sparkles off the snow and lights everything up in a pretty white haze. "No matter what you do, you can't seem to shake it off. Every move you make feels like a mistake. You're frustrated because you want to break your losing streak, but you aren't sure how to."

With a glance back at his friend, he can see the irritated look on Ash's face. But Clemont knows Ash isn't really mad at him—he's mad at _himself_ , and upset that Clemont's right.

"I've been there," the blonde continues, softly. "Trust me. There were some days where I didn't even want to get out of bed and face challengers. It just felt like too much."

"This isn't the same, though!" Ash suddenly snaps, his shoulders tight and tense. "I'm just—ugh, you don't _understand!_ You don’t have a clue how I feel! And why do you even care? It's none of your business, anyway...why can't you just leave me alone? I said I wanted to be by myself!"

Clemont draws back at that, visibly stung. Ash has never said anything this intentionally cruel to him, and the fact that it's his closest friend uttering such spiteful words hurts more than he can say.

Logically, he knows that Ash is just in a terrible mood, and will probably regret those words once he's not as blinded by his bitter disappointment. Knowing that doesn't make it any less painful, though.

"It is my business," he finally says, wounded. "You're my friend, and of course I care about you. And seeing you this down makes me sad." He shifts, moving to stand up. He brushes bits of snow off his coat, and then wraps his arms around himself.

"You think I don’t understand? That I haven’t felt like nothing I did would ever be enough, that I wouldn't amount to anything?" He laughs, a bit bitterly. "I mean, I even felt that way after our Gym battle—" And he abruptly stops, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Oops. That wasn't something he'd ever wanted Ash to find out.

Unfortunately, Ash just has to pick the worst times to actually pay attention to his advice and lectures, his amber eyes wide with alarm. "Our Gym battle? You mean—“

"It's not," Clemont starts, hurriedly trying to remedy his slip up. "I mean, I was..."

He sighs, slumping with defeat. Well, the Delcatty is already out of the bag...

"I was disappointed," he finally admits. "Of _course_ I was. I trained so hard, even came home early to get in some extra practice and come up with new battle strategies. I wanted...I wanted to prove to you how strong I was. That I could be a Gym Leader worth battling against."

Ash's expression softens at that, a touch of guilt entering his tone. "Clemont..."

"Even though I worked my butt off," Clemont laughs a little, "it still wasn't enough. Even now I still wonder if it was really worth it."

"Of course it was!" Ash quickly stands up, snow flying all around him as he does. He looks offended that Clemont would say something so ridiculous. "Are you kidding me right now? Clemont, our Gym battle was _amazing_. I couldn't have asked for a better one! I've never had another battle like that one in my entire life."

Clemont stares at him for a few moments, silent and awed. Warmth blooms in his chest, spreading to every nerve ending in his body. He doesn't even notice the cold anymore, or the way his breath fogs in the chilly air—only the tender emotion that has his heart threatening to leap right out of his ribcage.

Finally he laughs, bashfully rubbing the back of his neck. "My goodness...and here I was trying to comfort _you_ , not the other way around."

Ash blinks at that, and then he grins sheepishly. "Um, sorry?"

The other teen shakes his head. "Don't apologize, you goofball! There's nothing to be sorry for." He smiles, nervous but sincere. "Thank you, Ash."

"Anytime," Ash answers immediately, like he doesn't even have to think twice about it. "But don't ever talk about yourself like that again, okay? Because none of that stuff's true."

Clemont opens his mouth to protest, but then realizes that would defeat the purpose of this whole conversation in the first place.

Ash continues talking as if he doesn't even notice Clemont's hesitance—or maybe he does, and wants to put his anxiety to rest before it even gets to that point.

"You worked really hard for our Gym battle, and it was obvious. For a bit I wasn't even sure if I was going to win," he confesses. "It was a really close call. And I had a total blast. I'm...listen, I'm really glad I got to battle you, okay? I wouldn't change a single thing about it. It was amazing." He looks right into Clemon't eyes then, meaningfully. " _You're_ amazing."

The blonde can feel the tips of his ears turning pink at the phrase, and has to remind himself for the millionth time that Ash is just being his usual kind self—that there's no deeper meaning to his words, no hidden agenda that clues into some sort of grand affection. But still, it's hard to resist, and he feels as if he's going to melt, like the snow in spring.

"Honestly, you're silly for even thinking that," Ash huffs, seeming to find the entire situation absurd. "As if I'd ever think you're anything less than amazing. You've always been worth it—since the very beginning."

Does Ash even _realize_ the heavy weight his words have? How one offhanded comment like this sends Clemont's heart into overdrive, like his entire body is being doused in one big wave of compliment-induced euphoria? It's ridiculous the sort of sway the teen has over him—

 _Focus, Clemont,_ he reminds himself. _Not the point right now._ He won't let Ash distract him with his sweet words, as much as Clemont craves to hear them every single day. He came here on a mission—and leave it to Ash to throw that completely off track. Well, he isn't known for being ridiculously spontaneous for nothing.

"Don't think I've forgotten about your predicament yet," Clemont says, crossing his arms. Ash looks away, uncomfortable. "Just because we've sorted out my issues doesn't mean that's the end of it. I came here to help you feel better and I won't leave until you do!"

Ash gives him a wry smile at that. "You really aren't going to give up on me, are you?"

"Never," Clemont declares, and he means it. Both ways. Even if there's so much competition for Ash's affection right now, he won't let that stop him. But really, his feelings aren't super important or relevant at the moment— "And neither should you. You've never let anything like this stop you before. You just have to get over your slump."

The dark-haired boy sighs. "I know, I know! It's just hard right now. My thoughts are all muddled and icky. I don't know what to do, or how to even feel."

Clemont smiles kindly at that, and closes the distance between them to give Ash a friendly nudge with his shoulder.

"It's okay to be upset, Ash," he murmurs. "It's okay to be, well... _not_ okay. You have every right to be angry and sad that you lost. I'd feel the same way! And if you’re not sure how you feel about all of this, that’s okay too. Just take your time and figure things out at your own pace. This is something you have to overcome with your own strength.”

"...Yeah," Ash mumbles in response. "You're right."

They stand in silence for a few moments, thinking. It's comfortable and warm, and Clemont's suddenly very grateful he decided to brave the cold to come find his friend. There's no other place in the world he'd rather be than right by Ash's side, giving him encouragement and a helpful push in the right direction, like Ash has done for him countless times before.

Still, though, with another glance at his companion, Clemont knows they're not out of the water yet. Ash still seems to be mulling over his defeat. The blonde wonders if there's more to the story than he originally thought—maybe Ash is upset about something else on top of his loss at the Snowbelle Gym.

When Ash speaks up again, his voice is quiet, subdued. "I guess...I'm frustrated. Especially since Sawyer was there and witnessed the total disaster I made of myself..."

Ah. There it is.

"Everyone makes mistakes, Ash," Clemont points out gently. "You can't expect to win perfectly every time, and Sawyer doesn't expect that of you, either."

"I know," Ash groans, tipping his head back. "It's like—I was so excited to show him what I could do. I wanted to win that Gym badge and totally blow him away, you know?"

Clemont nods in agreement. Ash seems encouraged by him and continues.

"I just...I dunno, it's embarrassing how easily I lost to Wulfric. I don't even know what happened, I..." He huffs, almost pouting. "I only wanted to impress Sawyer!"

"Why are you suddenly so concerned with impressing Sawyer?" Clemont asks, incredulous. "No, wait—why are you so concerned about impressing _anybody?_ That's not like you at all."

Ash's cheeks flush angrily, and Clemont realizes he might have been a bit too blunt. 

He's afraid that Ash might snap at him again, but thankfully the Trainer doesn't retaliate.

"It's not like that! It's just..." He scrubs a hand through his hair, frustrated. "He got so strong all of a sudden. He's worked really, really hard and it _shows_. And a few months ago he only had one badge! I can't believe how quickly he caught up to me."

The blonde frowns. "Are you...jealous?"

Ash startles at that, then furrows his eyebrows. "No! ...Yes? Maybe? I don't know!"

"Is it because of how quickly he's developed as a Trainer?"

The other boy looks down, his mouth twisted into an unpleasant grimace. "I...yeah. Maybe that's it."

"But why? Shouldn't you be proud of Sawyer for all of his hard work and dedication? He really wanted to prove himself to you, Ash."

"What is it with people wanting to _prove_ themselves to me?" Ash says, sharply. "I don't get it. What is there to prove? You're all amazing Trainers. You don't have to beat me in a battle to remind me of that. I already know!"

Despite himself, Clemont feels his heart warming. Of course Ash would see it that way. It's almost hard to forget how selfless he really is. "I guess that's true. Then...maybe we're just trying to prove it to ourselves?”

At the lost look on Ash's face, Clemont clarifies, "We all really look up to you, Ash. You're an amazing Trainer with a lot of skill and innovation. In my years of being a Gym Leader, I've never met anybody who battles like you do."

Clemont swears he's just seeing things, but Ash's cheeks look a bit pink. Maybe it's just the cold air.

"I think it's because we admire you and respect you so much that we want to prove that we can be just as strong as you are," he explains. "It's more than just a rivalry, it's...overcoming these mental hurdles. Being confident with ourselves. At least in my case, anyway—I can't say the same for Sawyer, but who knows..."

"You have every reason to be confident," Ash states, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "You're incredible, Clemont."

Now Clemont's cheeks are pink to match with Ash's own. "Th-thank you...but that's not the point! The point is, before I met you, I was...extremely self-conscious about myself and my abilities. But since we started traveling together, I've learned how to become stronger...for myself, for my Pokemon, for Bonnie and my gym...and for you." He sighs, a deep one that has all of the day's tension seeping out of him. "I guess I wanted to prove myself to _myself_ most of all. That I could change. And be a better person and a more competent Trainer."

"All of that, because of me?" Ash says in total wonder, his eyes glimmering with awe.

Clemont nods shyly, his throat too tight with emotion to say anything.

The dark-haired teen stares at him for a long moment, and then with a huff he tosses his arms around Clemont's shoulders and nuzzles his cheek against the blonde's temple. Immediately Clemont's heart erupts with Butterfree, his stomach doing flips.

"Gosh," Ash whispers, breathless. "Wow, Clemont...you're...you're really something, you know that? I'm really no match for you."

"A-Ash?" Clemont squeaks. Is his face on fire? His face has to be on fire right now. He could cook an egg on it it feels so hot. He really hopes Ash doesn't pull away before he can calm down because his complexion is probably horrendous.

Ash gives him a little squeeze and Clemont feels his knees go weak, like his legs have turned into pudding. So much for calming down! He's never stood a chance against Ash Ketchum, not from day one. He was destined to fall and fall and fall until there was no return at all, and he doesn't even regret it, not a single moment.

Clemont breathes out softly and finally relaxes against Ash, his cheek pressing into his shoulder. It's nice. They haven't really hugged like this before—not this intimately, anyway. If only his heart would stop racing...he's almost sure Ash can hear it, it's pounding so loudly.

Ash nuzzles against his hair, a sign of genuine affection, and then he finally sets Clemont free. The blonde coughs, hiding behind his hand, his cheeks flushed an embarrassing shade of crimson.

Ash doesn't seem to notice at all, or maybe he does, but just doesn't mind—for he stuffs his hands in the pockets of his jacket and hunches his shoulders up for a moment, fighting off a shiver.

"It's weird," Ash finally comments, nose scrunched up in thought. It's unbearably cute. "All of you look up to me so much...and take inspiration from me..."

"Of course we do!" Clemont counters, grateful for the chance to jump back into conversation after that. "You're just the type of person who inspires others, Ash. You have a natural ability that moves people into taking action."

Ash looks at him sideways and beams, the sun almost reflecting off his teeth. It's dazzling. 

The dark-haired teen eventually looks back out at the woods again, something like nostalgia shining in his eyes.

"I wasn't always like that, though," he admits, seeming embarrassed about it. Clemont didn't think Ash could be embarrassed about anything. "When I first started out as a Trainer, I messed up a lot. At the beginning I rarely ever thought about my Pokemon first, just about winning. I made so many mistakes...and a lot of the badges I got weren't even from actual battles."

"You mean, they were just given to you?" Clemont asked, confused. Normally that would be against official League rules to hand out badges to Trainers without them having earned them, but if the circumstances called for it...

"I mean, I did some favors here and there, and stopped a couple of Team Rocket's schemes," Ash laughs, though it sounds a bit forced. "So I didn't just get them for free. They were kinda given as tokens of thanks. But still...that's definitely one of the big things I'd go back and change if I could. I wish I could have earned those badges the right way.”

He digs the toe of his boot into the snow and scratches his cheek. "I guess I'm just...yeah, I am kinda jealous that it took Sawyer barely any time at all to improve when it took me literal years to get to this point."

Clemont can't help it—he laughs a little, and the befuddled look Ash gives him makes him laugh harder.

When he finally settles down, he grins. "Ash, everybody grows at their own pace. Each person experiences things differently, and learns at a different rate. Sawyer came into being a Trainer with a lot of extensive knowledge already under his belt from studying Pokemon so much. And don't forget, he learned from one of the best, from _you_ —that's how he was able to improve so rapidly."

Ash makes a face at that. "So what you're saying is that it took him such a short time because he learned from someone who'd already done all that and spent years doing it? I don't know if that's really fair..."

"It usually isn't," Clemont points out, not unkindly. "But you're...you're not really that upset with him for it, are you?"

"Of course not!" Ash huffs, pouting. "I think it's really impressive, actually. I might be a bit jealous since it took me ages to become that strong, but I'm not blaming Sawyer or anything. It's awesome that he's come so far in such a short time."

Clemont relaxes at this. He's been friends with Ash for nearly a year now and deep down he knows the Trainer would never hold a grudge against anybody, especially when it comes to battle strength, but hearing it directly is relieving all the same—especially since Ash clearly has misgivings about it.

"I guess I'm just upset that I lost to him," Ash says with a heavy sigh. "And Greninja and I weren't even able to power up like we usually do...we made a real mess of things, and probably looked really silly..."

"Sawyer doesn't think any less of you for your losses, Ash. That's how you learn and train so you don't make the same mistakes twice."

The look he gets is so hopeful it pulls at his heartstrings. "You really think so?"

"You weren't being silly at all during the battle with Sawyer, but you are now," Clemont tells him honestly. "Sawyer adores you, Ash. He really admires you. Do you really think the fact that he finally managed to defeat you would change his overall opinion of you?"

"Well when you put it _that_ way!" Ash whines. "I guess not. Maybe you're right...I might just be overthinking all of this way too much."

"And I thought that was my job," Clemont teases, his tone fond. "And think about this—Sawyer's never taken his losses against you too hard either, right? He's made a note of each of his failures so that he can learn from them and do better next time. That's something you've always done, too."

"Yeah..." Ash muses, his gaze trained on the snow-covered forest carpet. Then, inexplicably, he beams, the sight of it brilliant and brighter than the sun itself. "You're right. You're _totally_ right! Thanks, Clemont!"

"Of course," the blonde says shyly.

"I can't let this get me down. I just have to keep on trying! Keep training, and getting even stronger!"

"That's my Ash," Clemont chuckles fondly. He doesn't even think twice about it, but when Ash looks over at him with an unreadable expression he realizes his folly and heat floods to his cheeks within seconds, his stomach feeling uncomfortably hot.

"Um," he squeaks. "I mean, that's—that's _our_ Ash! You know. Every-everybody's...favorite, aha..."

The awkwardness becomes even more unbearable when Ash doesn't respond, just stares at him in silence. Oh god. Why did he have to open his big stupid mouth? That's what he gets for letting his heart speak before his head!

When Ash finally moves, it's to approach him, his footsteps muted under the crunch of snow. Clemont braces himself for the letdown, for Ash to dismiss him entirely, maybe even call off their friendship and make Clemont leave and go home before their journey even ends—

He won't admit to the yelp that leaps out of his throat when Ash scoops him up into a bear hug, humming happily into his shoulder.

"A-Ash?!"

Ash squeezes him tight and hoists him up to spin him around in happy little circles, laughing all the while. Clemont really can't do anything but hold on and blush like a schoolgirl, because apparently his stupid gay brain can't function enough to do much else.

When Ash finally sets him down Clemont feels as if the entire world is spinning, and not just because he went for one himself. Ash's hands steady him, gentle but firm with their grip on his shoulders. When Clemont meets his eyes he almost drowns in their intensity, the spark that ignites incredible battles and the strongest of bonds shooting straight through his heart.

"You're _my_ favorite," Ash tells him, like it takes no effort at all, like it's as easy as breathing. Clemont's pretty sure he stopped breathing two minutes ago. That's normal, right? At least around someone like Ash.

"Hey, can you help me come up with some strategies on how to beat Wulfric?"

Clemont blinks in surprise at that, and has to remind himself to take a breath, totally whiplashed by Ash's sudden change of subject. "You—want me to help you?"

Ash nods, looking like an eager Lillipup. "Please? I know if we put our heads together we can come up with some really good ideas!"

The blonde exhales softly, willing the world to turn on a normal axis again. He's not sure how much more of Ash's spontaneity he can take in one day, especially with how the teen's determined to make his heart overload like this!

"Of course I'll help you," he responds anyway, because when has he ever been able to say no to Ash Ketchum?

Ash lights up, more radiant than anything else around him, and whoops cheerfully. "Yes! Alright! This time I'll totally get that badge!"

Clemont can't help but start to laugh again, totally eclipsed by Ash's enthusiasm. It's utterly contagious.

Ash looks at him then, eyes soft and full of some emotion Clemont can't put a proper name to. His insides feel all warm and melty again.

"Thanks, Clemont. Really. I owe you a lot for today."

The Gym Leader waves him off, heat flooding to his face as he tries not to preen with pride. "I-it's nothing, Ash! Don't worry about it!"

"I'm serious, though," Ash insists, moving closer. They're practically nose to nose now, and Clemont can almost taste the Trainer's breath. If Clemont could get any warmer he's sure the snow around him would be burning up too.

"I really...said some awful things to you," Ash continues, his voice quiet. Guilt settles on his face. "Things that I shouldn't have said. I'm...I'm really sorry, Clemont. I didn't mean any of it. I'm super glad you came to get me...and that you didn't leave me alone. Can you forgive me?"

Clemont blinks at him, heart fluttering, and then he smiles. Ash smiles back, his eyes glimmering.

"Of course, Ash. I mean...th-that's what friends are for, right?"

The other boy stares at him thoughtfully, his lips turned upwards in an attractive sort of half-smirk. "Hmm."

If Clemont has to stand here with Ash looking at him like that for one more second, he really will melt into nothing. He turns away, laughing awkwardly. "Aha! Ah, um. S-so..."

A soft rumble in the distance cuts off anything else he'd planned to say, and he focuses on it with a sense of strange relief. That quickly morphs into worry when he realizes that the storm is closing in, and quickly.

"Ash, we can talk about battle strategies later," he says, frowning up at the darkening sky. "There's a huge storm coming in, and Greninja is still out there somewhere..."

That kicks Ash into action, for his eyes widen in shock. "What? Greninja?"

"He left the Pokemon Center this morning, probably not long after you did," Clemont tells him. "He probably went to stew alone in his thoughts, too..."

Ash mutters a quiet curse, eyebrows furrowed. "I have to find him, quickly..."

"I'll help," Clemont offers, immediately. "Two people searching is better than one, right?"

The black-haired boy shoots him a grateful look. "Yeah. Thanks, Clem." Then he's moving forward and grabbing the blonde's hand, intertwining their fingers.

Clemont reminds himself helpfully to not swallow his tongue, thank you.

"We should make a run for it, then," Ash says, grinning wide. Clemont's stomach does happy somersaults. "You'd better hold on to me tight."

And without any other warning Ash pulls him out of the clearing and into the trees, breathless with laughter as they run through the snow.

Clemont squeezes his hand and laughs right along with him, not caring that he probably can't keep up with the energetic teen anyway.

 _Yeah, I'll hold on to you,_ he thinks as snow scatters up beneath their feet. _I won't let go of this moment._

Even with the threat of a blizzard on the horizon, the air slowly growing colder, and the nipping bitterness in his lungs, Clemont feels warmer than he has in ages—like a flower blooming from beneath the snow.

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly I got like. Super into it halfway through LMAO and this ended up becoming a sort of character study fic, huh *thinking emoji*  
> I wanted to mimic a little bit of Serena's dialogue from the episode, actually. Idk if it was my way of just referencing what she said or kinda poking fun at her but I did it either way nandskadn
> 
> Ash was definitely jealous of Sawyer at one point I think, and that whole Gym battle was his breaking point. He definitely felt embarrassed for losing so badly in front of someone he wanted to make a good impression on (which is SILLY, Ash, like Clemont said Sawyer already really admires you anyway!) but he definitely did a good job at hiding that, at least from the others lol so it was fun to dig a bit deeper into the situation and really get a good grasp on Ash's feelings when he lost that battle!
> 
> It's weird bc when I write ship fics involving Ash I always do it from the perspective of the other person;; like the past few times I've just been like. Gladion POV. Clemont POV. Gladion POV again. One of these days I need to write one from Ash's POV huh LOL
> 
> Well, I hope you enjoyed!! Kudos and comments are always appreciated, and thanks so much for reading, lovelies <3


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